The present invention relates to a hair care composition. More specifically, the present invention relates to a hair care composition which provides a conditioning benefit.
Human hair becomes soiled due to its contact with the surrounding environment and from sebum secreted by the scalp. The soiling of the hair causes it to have a dirty or greasy feel, and an unattractive appearance. The soiling of the hair necessitates shampooing with regularity.
Shampooing cleans the hair by removing excess soil and sebum. However, shampooing can leave hair in a wet, tangled, and generally unmanageable state. After shampooing, hair is often left in a dry, rough, lusterless, or frizzy condition due to removal of the hair""s natural oils and other natural conditioning components. Furthermore, such hair may also suffer from a perceived loss of softness. In addition, hair may possess increased levels of static after drying, which can interfere with combing and reduce hair manageability. This results in a condition commonly referred to as xe2x80x9cflyaway hair.xe2x80x9d Certain consumers consider such flyaway hair and the corresponding increase in total hair volume undesirable. Thus, it is desirable to provide smooth, soft, silky-feeling, and healthy-looking hair, while decreasing flyaway hair volume and total hair volume. In addition, it is typically desirable to increase the biodegradability of a hair care composition.
A variety of approaches have been developed to address these issues. Such approaches typically seek to increase smoothness, softness, and luster by including hair conditioning compounds, typically cationic compounds, such as catonic surfactants, into a hair care composition. Such hair conditioning compounds may also reduce static. In theory, these cationic compounds, including quaternary ammonium compounds, seek to neutralize the static charge on the hair, and thus reduce flyaway hair volume. However, these hair conditioning compounds do not sufficiently reduce total hair volume, and may be harsh on the hair, skin, or scalp.
Alternatively, oily compounds, such as a silicone, an ester oil, and/or a hydrocarbon oil have been included in hair care compositions to reduce flyaway hair. However, while these oily compounds may make hair feel smoother, more silky, and/or appear more lustrous, they are not sufficient to satisfy certain consumers.
Accordingly, the need remains for a hair care composition which noticeably reduces total hair volume and is easily biodegradable. The need also remains for a hair care composition which provides smoother, softer, more silky, and more lustrous hair. The need also remains for a hair care composition possessing these benefits, which is effectively deposited onto hair.
The present invention relates to a hair care composition which includes a polypropylene glycol, an ester oil, and a gel matrix. The polypropylene glycol has a weight average molecular weight of from about 200 g/mol to about 100,000 g/mol. The ester oil has the formula R1COOR1, wherein each R1 is independently a C1-C22 alkyl, and the HLB value of the ester oil is less than about 4. The gel matrix includes a cationic surfactant, a solid fatty compound, and water.
In another aspect, the present invention relates to a hair care composition which includes a polypropylene glycol, an ester oil, and a suitable carrier. The polypropylene glycol has a weight average molecular weight of from about 200 g/mol to about 100,000 g/mol. The ester oil is selected from the group of pentaerythritol ester oils, trimethylol ester oils, and mixtures thereof, wherein the ester oil has an HLB value of less than about 4.
It has now been found that total hair volume is actually the sum of the xe2x80x9cflyaway hair volumexe2x80x9d and the xe2x80x9cbulk hair volume.xe2x80x9d It has also been found that a measurable reduction of bulk hair area, flyaway hair area, and total hair area, by the Image Analysis Protocol described herein, corresponds to a noticeable decrease in the bulk hair volume, flyaway hair volume, and the total hair volume, respectively. Accordingly, it has been found that reducing the bulk hair area can therefore play a significant role in reducing the total hair volume. While certain compounds and compositions are known to reduce fly-away hair volume, for example, by reducing the static charge of hair, these compositions do not noticeably reduce bulk hair volume. It has now been found that a hair care composition which moisturizes the hair may noticeably reduce bulk hair volume, and may also noticeably reduce flyaway hair volume. This, in turn, provides a significant, noticeable reduction in total hair volume.
It has now been found that a hair care composition, preferably a hair conditioning composition, and/or a styling composition, containing a polypropylene glycol, an ester oil, and a suitable carrier may also more effectively deposit onto hair, and provide significant consumer-desirable benefits, such as an improved look and feel for hair, reduced bulk hair volume, reduced flyaway hair volume, and reduced total hair volume. Furthermore, the hair care composition is inexpensive to formulate, easily biodegradable, and possesses a non-oily feel.
These and other features, aspects, advantages, and variations of the present invention, and the embodiments described herein, will become evident to those skilled in the art from a reading of the present disclosure with the appended claims, and are covered within the scope of these claims.